New hotels and new attractions make this an excellent time to visit the Walt Disney World Resort. In addition to the whimsical fun of the theme parks, now you can swim with Ariel or Nemo, drive around Radiator Springs with Lightning McQueen, or frolic in the jungle with Simba at your resort.

This year saw the long awaited opening of the Art of Animation Resort. It takes its name and nomenclature from a 1958 touring exhibit of Disney art work from his films, and more or less completes the Pop Century value resort that has remained half finished since its opening. It is located directly across Hour Glass Lake from Pop Century and you need only walk across the Generation Gap Bridge to traverse back and forth between the sibling resorts.

Art of Animation comprises four areas that are themed to a particular Disney film. The Finding Nemo, Lion King and Cars areas will compromise 1,120 suites designed to accommodate six people. There is an area themed to the Little Mermaid, which will have 864 traditional motel rooms that accommodate four people.

All the buildings, rooms and surrounding areas are comprehensively themed to their respective films and the public areas are landscapes that literally transport you into these beloved stories. The Cars section opened in June, The Lion King opened in mid August and Finding Nemo opened on May 31. The Little Mermaid opened in the fall.

The lobby was decorated with rough colored sketches resembling storyboards, as well as a cascade of lights that embodies the spectrum of colored paints used for inking animation cells. Adjacent to the lobby is the Ink and Paint gift shop that leads to the impressive Landscape of Flavors food court.

The swimming pool is themed appropriately enough to "Finding Nemo," with the deck adorned with palm trees and statues of giant jelly fish and sea anemones. A giant statue of Crush and Mr. Ray greet guests by the main entrances to each of the buildings. It is very colorful and particularly beautiful in the luminescence of the night lights. The pool is spacious and can accommodate swimmers of all ages and abilities. The pool is well staffed with lifeguards as well as "funmeisters" who lead the guests in games and contests every afternoon. Music is almost always playing, comprising a tolerable mix of insipid music from Disney Channel programs with delightful songs from classic Disney films. Music was also broadcast underwater. There is a splash pool decorated with Nemo and other characters from the film as well as a turtle playground.

A Finding Nemo suite was boldly colorful. The rooms were designed with children and devotees of the movies in mind, but the overall effect is more childish than childlike. Still, the kids love it and the adults adjust to living in the Great Barrier Reef as envisioned by Pixar animators.

The suite sported two LG flat screen televisions. As promised, the room slept six. Much of the furniture and furnishings are shaped to look like coral. There was a master bedroom with a private bathroom and the common areas had a foldout couch and a dining table that imaginatively converted into a bed.

Once the conversion from table to bed is complete, a recessed area featuring a painting of Nemo and his Dad sleeping blissfully in the strands of an anemone acts like a headboard. The painting is framed on the bottom by a shelf, and on the top with stylish recessed lighting that can be dimmed. The overall effect makes one think of what Hugh Hefner's childhood bedroom might have looked like. All the beds are extremely comfortable.

There was a small kitchenette (emphasis on small) that included a refrigerator, sink and microwave. The generous size bathrooms keep with the overall theme, yet reflect more mature sensibilities. The master bathroom was spacious, with a particularly luxurious shower. There is an additional full bathroom as well.

Budget conscious families or families who love "Finding Nemo" and the other films featured in Art of Animation will enjoy their stay at this new resort.

Follow Us

Post a reader comment

We encourage your feedback and dialog. Please be civil and respectful.If you're witty, to the point and quotable, your reader comments may also be included on the Around the Towns page of The Sunday Republican. Readers must be registered and logged in to post comments on the site. Registration is free. Click Here to register.
A Subscription is not required to post comments only a Registration.